Black
Dog (1998)
As usual, this film isn't bad enough to be good. But
what does one expect from Patrick Swayze. He's really
a bad actor and he goes through this film as if he has
a corn cob up his butt. He looks as uncomfortable as
a man made of wood can look.
Here he plays a truck driver just released from prison
and forced to drive a load of illegal guns by his new
boss. Along the way he has to contend with Bible-thumping
hypocrite Meat Loaf (a target for fairness in media
if there ever was one) and country-tune-singing Randy
Travis. Travis is so bad he can't even fake singing
poorly. See, his character wants to be a country singer
but is supposed to be bad. But Travis sounds like his
old self. It is, now that I reflect on it, kinda unintentionally
ridiculous.
Swayze has a diversion to take the attention away
from the bad acting in Charles S. Dutton (forever to
be known as TV's "Roc") and Steven Tobolowsky as FBI
agents. They are quite good but cannot do anything to
save this sinking ship.
Director Kevin Hooks ("Passenger 57") wisely tosses
out plot, script, acting and, well, direction, and concentrates
on putting in as many car wrecks as possible. We see
lotsa cars, lotsa 18 wheelers and even a mobile home
gets smashed to smithereens. It looks pretty cool. But
the direction sucks at times and, when it gets to the
climax, it's hard to tell what the hell is going on
cause the editing and lighting are so bad.
"Black Dog" tries to be mystical and, as in "Point
Break," Swayze isn't up to the task. Nor is Travis.
There's a lot of ridiculous bullshit that goes on here.
You know, the more I think about it, the more stupid
it all seems. Maybe it is so bad it's good.
Note:
Script by William Mickelberry, Dan Vining, and Scott
Sturgeon. Music by George S. Clinton. Raffaella De Laurentiis
is a producer.
Songs by Travis, Rhett Akins, Patti Loveless, and
Steve Earle. Someone covers Eddie Rabbitt's "Driving
My Life Away" and Led Zepplin is mentioned (as title
is from one of their songs by accident).
Kevin Sorbo (TV's reincarnation of "Hercules") was
originally slated to play the lead but had to pass due
to a medical problem.
A truck full of explosives caught fire on a shooting
day in January and 3 people were injured.
Filmed in Georgia and the Carolinas.
Nepotism Factor: Assistant to Ms. De Laurentiis is
Dino De Laurentiis. Make-Up by Eloise De Laurentiis.
Review written in 1998
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Report
Card
Script:
C
Acting: F
Cinematography\Lighting: F
Special Effects\Make Up: A
Music: C
Final
Grade: F
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